Natalie Portman Is Very Short. The Funny Story Behind How She Kissed Chris Hemsworth’s Thor In The Marvel Movies

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Natalie Portman Is Very Short. The Funny Story Behind How She Kissed Chris Hemsworth's Thor In The Marvel Movies

As a long-time Marvel fan and avid gamer, I can’t help but be fascinated by the behind-the-scenes stories of my favorite films. And one of the most intriguing tales I’ve come across recently involves Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman in the “Thor” movies.

Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman make an excellent on-screen duo as Thor and Jane Foster in Marvel’s “Thor” films. Nevertheless, from a filmmaking standpoint, their physical differences posed some challenges. The significant height disparity between Portman and Hemsworth proved problematic for the movie’s production team. In an amusing revelation, Portman shared how the crew creatively addressed the awkwardness of their kissing scenes.

During their appearance on “The Graham Norton Show,” the two actors shared amusing anecdotes about filming the “Thor” series. Despite having great on-screen chemistry, their height disparity was noticeable and required adjustments. With Portman being considerably shorter than Hemsworth, she made him appear even larger in scenes. Although she portrayed Mighty Thor and bulked up, her size didn’t change significantly. Production had to construct a ramp to facilitate their on-screen kisses. In her own words, the Academy Award recipient shared: “It was quite a challenge dealing with our height difference during filming, but we managed to make it work.”

As a remarkably small person, I have the unique ability to make those around me appear toweringly large. Typically, there’d be a ramp involved in our encounters, which I would climb up with great effort, resulting in my landing near their face – a rather steep ascent indeed.

As a fan, I’d describe it like this: Portman, who stands at 5’3”, is noticeably shorter than the towering Hemsworth, who is an impressive 6’3”. In their scene together in “Blackhat,” the ramp setup proved advantageous for Hemsworth’s tall frame. The kisses between them were mostly filmed in close-ups, so the audience wouldn’t catch a glimpse of the ramp structure. And in “Thor: The Dark World,” a clever filming technique had Hemsworth standing on a lower balcony step during one kiss with Portman, making their romantic moment look entirely natural.

Height disparities can often influence the casting process when it comes to selecting acting partners. For instance, Zendaya was concerned that her taller stature might be a problem when working alongside Tom Holland in “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” However, Marvel dismissed this concern as insignificant since the pairing proved effective. Similarly, during the filming of “Priscilla,” Jacob Elordi’s significant height difference with Cailee Spaeny was apparent but was utilized by director Sofia Coppola to portray Elvis as a larger-than-life character. The perfect fit of Portman and her scene partner in their respective projects ultimately outweighed any logistical challenges that may have arisen during production.

It’s intriguing to ponder if the actors, who have portrayed romantic leads in the Thor series for the past three films, will continue to do so. Portman reappeared in 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder, but it remains uncertain if they will have significant roles in future MCU productions, given Thor: Love and Thunder’s conclusion. A prequel is a possibility, yet Marvel seems more inclined towards introducing new characters in the franchise at present. Personally, I hope to see these two lovebirds again on screen, even if it requires a detour from the usual storyline progression.

You can currently watch Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth team up in “Thor,” “Thor: The Dark World,” and “Thor: Love and Thunder” on Disney+. For details on other MCU films and TV series set for release in the coming months, be sure to check out our guides on upcoming Marvel movies and upcoming Marvel shows.

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2024-07-26 03:37